Apparatus for launching life-boats from ships.



No. 697,359. Patented Apr. 8, I902. C.F. PETERSEN.

APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHINGLIFE BOATS FROM SHIPS.

(Application filed June 11, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shee aI.

WITNESSES: //v vENron A v I B) Y I 8 THE Nonms PETERS 00.. moTouwci, wAsuma'mN. a. a

No. 697,359. Patented Apr. 8, I902.

' C. F. PETERSEN.

APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFE BOATS FROM SHIPS.

(Application filed June 11, 1901.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOH UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN F. PETERSEN, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFE-BOATS FROM SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,359, dated April 8, 1902.

- Application filed Tune 11, 1901. Serial No. 64,075. (No model.)

a subject of the King of Denmark, residing at Wilmington, in the county of'Newcastle and State of'Delaware, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Launching Life-' Boats from Ships, of which the following is full, clear, and exact description.

ready means for launching boats from the deck of a ship or from a dock. felt particularly in times ofemergency, and its advantage lies in the ease with which the boat may be handled after it is launched.

By my mechanism boats may be launched from either side of the vessel with the least possible manipulation of tackle. The boat is run off over the gunwale and dropped in a position ready to leave the ship or dock in a direction at right angles to the side of the ship or dock to permit free use of the oars on both sides of the boat.

Another feature of advantage in the use of my invention lies in the way that the position of the boat is managed by means located within the boat to control the position thereof by persons located therein.

Further improvements and advantages will appear from the following description.

Iteference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a number of boats ready to be launched by my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, while Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating in detail the controlling mechanism of my invention, and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the truck and tracks on which the boat is swung.

The launching apparatus consists of overhead tracks a I), built up of twoZ-barsor other suitable sections held in place by suitable supports c. Each track has a terminus for launching boats from either side of the vessel or dock. Moving on these tracks are trucks T. These trucks consist of a pin P, carried on rollers and supporting a pairof sheaves S S. Also carried on the pin P are guides G G. The wheels may or may not be supported by ball-bearings. Over the Its need is sheaves are passed two ropes d (1. At one end of each of these ropes is formed an eye 1'. The otherend of the rope passes over a sheave K, located in the center of the boat 13, and passes thence to any well-known form of brake 0. Through the eyes 2' passes a link h, and this in turn passes through an eye of V a pair of girths or supports ll. These girths The object of my invention is to obtain a pass around the stem and stern of the boat and through notches m m.- On the sides of the boat B are located a pair of hooks n 12, used to keep the girthsl Zin position. At the stem and stern along the line of the keel of the boat are located two eyes 12 1;, through which may be passed lashings o o to hold the boat steady when not in use. On the boat, about at the junction of the keel with the stem and stern, rollers ac are provided to prevent the boat damaging the ships deck when swinging about the truck during transport.

At either end of the tracks a b is located a boom 01, which affords a continuation of the tracks and permits the trucks carrying the boats to be pushed out on the tracks of the boom from the tracks of the dock or ship. This boom is attached to the ends of the tracks by means of a pin 0 and is supported by straps p p. This boom is guided and made fast by stays q, located'above the boom and fastened to a spar or other supporting'device. If a spar is not in a position to be used, a post r may be used, and a second tension member s, forming part of the tension member q, may be used in supporting the end of the boom. On either side of the boom for the purpose of swinging it in or out are fastened stays t t. Fastening the booms together, if two are used, is a binding-stay a. By this mechanism the boat B may be readily pushed over the water and dropped either by operating the brake O or by pushing the boat out far enough so that the truck will pass over the end of the boom.

In cases of emergency the lashings o '0 may be cut and the boat, with its passengers, swung out and dropped in a position at right angles to the direction of the keel of the ship S.

The end of the boom has a depression 01 at the bottom for the purpose of preventing the truck from rolling back when reaching the end of the boom.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In boat-launching apparatus, the combination of a permanent overhead track with support, a swinging continuation of same with stay and guys, a truck as a means of transporting boats from the permanent track to the end of the swinging track, the truck having sheaves, a girth embracing the boat and meeting at a point above the boat, two thimbles, a link passing through said thimb1es,launching ropes fastened to said link passing over the sheaves of the truck, a boat having sheaves located at the bottom of the boat and over which the launching-ropes pass, and a brake controlling the position of the rope and thereby the position of the boat relatively to the track.

2. In boat-launching apparatus, the combination of a permanent overhead track carrying a number of boats ready for launching, the track having a swinging continuation, said boats having eyes at the keel, and clips on the deck of the ship, the boats being kept from moving by a rope-lashing through said eyes and clips.

3. In boat-launching apparatus, the combination of a permanent overhead track, a swinging track or boom having a depression at the end to prevent the truck going back when the ship rolls, a top stay supporting the boom, a hinge-joint between permanent and swinging tracks, a strap at the end of the permanent track supporting the end of the swinging track, and side guys for regulating the angle of the swinging track and for steadying the same.

4. In boat-launching apparatus, the combination of a permanent track, a swinging track, a truck resting on the same and carrying boats suspended by hangers, and ropes fastened to the boats by a notch in the stem and stern, guided by hooks forming open eyes at the sides of the boats, whereby the hangers can easily be dropped when not wanted and securely holding the boat when the latter is resting in the hangers.

5. In a boat hoisting and conveying apparatus, a track, a pair of booms one located at each end of the track, a pin supporting the boom, and means for swinging the boom to any position relative to the track, stays for guiding and supporting said boom, a truck adapted to run over said track and out- 011 said boom, a pair of sheaves carried by said truck, ropes passing over said sheaves, girths fastened to said ropes, and a boat having hooks and notches for holding and fastening said girths, whereby the boat may be pushed out and dropped or lowered.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHRISTIAN F. PETERSEN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD L. ASPRIL, WILLIAM A. GREEN. 

